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You don’t sit down when travelling on the train because you’re stationed at your desk all day. And you generally do other forms of physical activities to get your heart rate going.

So when your head hits the pillow, you should conk out straight away, right?

In an ideal world, maybe. But the truth of the matter is, if you’ve had a particularly exciting day or done a lot of physical exertion, you won’t always fall into bed, ready for a night of delicious, uninterrupted sleep.

So why do our bodies betray us and keep us away from dozing off into the unconscious?

Well, it could be to do with adrenaline levels before going to bed, says Carl E. Hunt, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.

It is possible to be absolutely knackered in mind and body and still struggle to sleep.

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Even if you’re fatigued, you need to be able to unwind and allow yourself time to turn off. Most people do not allow themselves sufficient deceleration, says Carl.

(Picture: Getty/metro.co.uk

And because life is a confusing mess sometimes, not getting enough sleep can cause you to… not get enough sleep. It’s the circle of hell.

So if you’re not getting the recommended amount of seven to eight hours on consecutive night, instead of getting some immediate shuteye at your earliest convenience, you’ll end up unable to sleep.

‘It’s essentially like being put through the “fight or flight” response 24/7, for no discernible reason. It’s forgivable that your body doesn’t want to fall asleep when it thinks that it’s in danger and needs to be moving pretty quickly, pretty sharpish.’

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What results, though, is an endless cycle of being up till ungodly hours and maybe even panic attacks.

Those with severe allergies who need epi pens may also suffer from sleeping problems as the shots release huge dose of adrenaline to combat anaphylactic shock.

Even if you haven’t received a shot recently, it’s still quite common to feel an adrenaline rush, thus not being able to wind down into a slumber.

If it’s persistent – see a doctor.

Otherwise, there are things you can to help the situation; doing mindless activities that don’t keep you alert can help. Some find repetitive things helpful, whether it’s counting down numbers backwards in a foreign language, a warm bath, or even doing laundry.

Try not to exercise three hours before you fall asleep as it will just make you more alert – same for food, alcohol and caffeine.

Block everything out and listen to your breathing, really listen, making an effort to take deep breaths. And lastly, know that help is out there, at all hours of day and night.

Best time to go to sleep to wake up refreshed

To get up at 6am: Falling asleep at 8.46pm, 10.16pm or even 11.46pm or – if you’re feeling like a real night owl – 1.16am will be in tune with your natural sleep cycle.

To get up at 7am: Go to bed at either 9.46pm or 11.16pm. For the late night version, sleep at 12.46am and 2.16am.

To get up at 8am: The magic numbers to rise feeling refreshed at eight are 10.46pm, 12.16am, 1.46am or even 3.16am.

Want to learn how to get a better night's sleep?

Do you have trouble switching off at night? Whether you’re struggling with occasional sleep deprivation, or suffer from insomnia, we have partnered with OfCourse to bring you the tools you need for sleep optimisation.